Fence post



faces at the upper ends of short sections, and the use of rot-resistant materials in said sections, and also a preliminary saturation or coating of said short sections in advance of the assemblng thereof, for a waterproofing or rot-proofing eifect, being entirely optional; and, even in case it is considered permissible (by reason of the character of the stock employed and for intended use of my posts) to dispense with an eXterior coating,

. applying pressure to hold all parts in their indicated relationships, I may bind the same with wire 19, somewhat as indicated in Fig. 2; but I prefer to do this in advance of the mentioned application of tar or other waterproofing material.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic horizontal sectional view, on a smaller scale, intended only to indicate preferred relationships between short-lengths of lumber, suitably cut and interfitted in producing the base, butt or below-ground portion of a fence post embodying my invention. This view may be regarded as taken in a plane such as that indieated by the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

By reason of the inexpensive character of the naterials utilized in the .production of a postin the described manner, such posts may be manufactured and sold at considerably less cost than one-piece posts,-the latter being, moreover, commonly provided only in lengths which necessitate a serious waste in the shortening of the same for use in the Construction of ordinary low fences; and the economy resultant from my described method may be illustrated by the fact that my built-up posts, when comprising separate lengths 11, 11' and extensions, can be retailed at a cost of about twenty-five cents each, under such market conditions as necesstate a price of about forty to fifty cents for alonepiece post, as heretofore obtainable.

I suggest the production of posts in which the enlarged butts or base 'portion may constitute about of the-total length,-assuming the lattcr to be about 8 feet; and, although I show my novel posts as rectangular in cross-section, it should be understood that the upwardly extendingor main elements 11, 11', may be comparatively thin,-as by utilization of l" -board stock therein, for the production of low fences (say, l feet in height, above the ground), and, in any event, after the posts (preferably assenbled from parts having finished surfaces) are set at a suitable level (such as to bring outwardly inclined surfaces 20 slightly above the-ground level G. L.) wire strands or a wire mesh may be interposed (preferably by laying the same on the ground, parallel with a row of posts, and then dropping the same into the illustrated vertical slots) and the elements 11, 11' (which may be regarded as constituting, with or without the interposed thin board 15, the main body of each post) may be drawn and held together, to grip the interposed wires, by means such as transverse bolts 21.

Although I have herein described a single embodiment of my invention, suggesting various alternativesas to detail, it should be understood not only that various features thereof might be independently employed whether for the purpose of utilizing short lengths, or for the purpose of building posts from materials which are deficient in length, or for the purpose of providing against rapid deterioration in use, or for the purpose of facilitating the attachment of wires or a wire mesh) but also that numerous modifications of my invention, additional to those herein suggested, might easily be devised by those skilled in the arts to which this case `relates,--without the slightest departure` from the spirit and scope of my in vention, as 'the same is indicated above and in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fence post comprising; a main body composed of separate sections spaced apart and having a substantially uniformecross sectional area throughout its length and an externally reinforced lower end, said external reinforcement comprising separate pieces of short-length lumber applied to the lower exterior surface of said main body; and means for holding said main body and said separate pieces in assembled relationship. e

2. A fence post of the general character defined in claim 1, inwhich said main body is extended by additional pieces,-of less length' than the mentioned separate pieces of short-length lumber. a

3. A fence post comprising: a main body to whose lower end separate pieces of short length lumber are applied; and means for holding said main body and said separate pieces in assembled relationship, said main body being eXtended by additional pieces which-have less length than the mentioned separate pieces of short-length lumber;- ahutting faces of said main body and said additional pieces being similarly inclined. 4. A fence post of the general character dened in claim 1, in which said main body is extended by additional pieces having less length than the mentioned separate pieces ll O of short-length lumber,-a resultant en-` length lumber are appled; and means for prsing additonal 'short-lengths applied beholding said main body and said separate tween the nentoned peces of short-length 1 4 pieces in assembled relatonshp, said main lumber.

bOdy being of symmetrically disposed-like In testmony whereof, I have hereunto set 5 elements spaced apart by means comprisinga my hand at Los Angeles, California, this thin board,-said symmetrcally disposed 12th day of November, 1926.

elements and said thin board being protected at the lower ends thereof, by means comr LEON H. SCOTT. 

